My chow really isn't getting any better with the food/crate thing so I was giving advice to feed him throughout the day for proper obedience. It goes deeper than this but that's not why I am posting. I used this technique today while mowing my yard. I kept my bait pouch full of Bruno's food and had him heal while I walked across the yard with the mower. At the end I would turn around and stop. Once he stopped and sat next to me I would reach in and give him a handful of food and praise. It worked out really well. It was a little messy and took a little while longer but it was a neat way to kill 2 birds with one stone and yet practice some obedience training.

DZ

Hand-feeding without using a food dish is a good initial protocol for a new dog that's displaying food-aggro & bowl guarding toward an owner it hasn't yet formed a trusting bond with -- but this Chow's temperament troubles have been continuous for months on end now <:-(

When you post that, "It goes deeper than this, but...", I hope you don't mean that Bruno has attacked one of your daughters, or anyone else (?)

Would like to add a word of caution re:lawn mower/neighbors dog caught a rock in the eye while she mowed.Caused perminent damage so please be careful <img src="http://www.leerburg.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

No, he hasn't bitten anyone. I meant the specific's around the theory of feeding him a little at a time throughout the day is what I wasn't going into. Also, for the other poster, thanx about the rock info. Kinda kicks me in the nads but I'd rather you set me straight than Bruno catch a rock in the eye. Actually he has really eased up around the house. My wife and oldest are gone. This has eleveated 2 other masters from the equation but eventually we'll be back together once I sell my house in MD. My youngest, who never took much interest, got a spark from the obedience classes we took and she gained a confidence in commanding Bruno. We can walk by him when he's sleeping or resting and he no longer growls. The main problem has been feeding him in his crate. I think there is some deep seeded issues that will take allot of effort to overcome. I am getting help from a good trainer and Bruno has been allot nicer to be around. One thing I will go into is only feeding him when he has displayed a submissive behavior. I'll have him show me his belly before I give him about 1/5 of his food. Then we'll do it again or I'll command a different behavior but still submissive. The trainer said he is fear as well as dominance driven and therefor is a bit more complicated to get to. I am trying to be as consistent as possible so he will not feel afraid in his home. We'll see...still tryin.

DZ

He has no issues taking food from my hand, I just didn't have a bowl with me to put it in. What I really needed was a towel. He'd slime up my hand and I'd wipe it on his head so I didn't get it all over the mower handle.

You are lucky, my GSD male has one REALLY frightening habit, he despises the lawn mower. Otherwise he is calm and ok, but start the lawn mower and look out. He has managed to break a front wheel on my last mower, clamped down on it and it cracked, and the rubber tread flopped around. Now I tell him "house" before I even bring it out into the yard, and every once in a while I'll have him poke his head through the doogie door when it 1st starts, but usually a verbal reminder of "no" is all it takes. Funny though, even my wife was impressed that you could actually get your dog to walk alongside the mower.

i was wondering how my boy would react to the mower this spring, but he just trots along about a yard behind it, stops when i have to turn, then off we go. i mow about 2 A, so he gets a good workout. though w/the price of gas, i'm thinking "get some sheep and have him do his job" <img src="http://www.leerburg.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

My Louisiana Catahoula bays the lawnmower. I don't think I could ever get him to walk beside it LOL

Oh and I agree with the person who said the dog can get a rock in his eye. My yard doesn't have any rocks but my grass is always too long when I cut it and there are a lot of sticks hidden that I manage to fling around while I'm mowing. So, although it was a good idea for obedience, it's probably not safe.